Inkwell



Jan. 25 1927.

' 1,615,600 w. J. SOMERVILLE INK wpLL Filed Jan. 17, 1924 Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. SOMERVILLE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

INKWELL.

Application filed January 17, 1924. Serial No. 686,715.

This invention relates to improvements in inkwells of the class used in schools and which occupy openings in the desk tops; and its objects are to provide a very simple and inexpensive construction which is neat of appearance; very convenient of use; is practically flat and has no protuberances whereon objects are likely to catch; which maintains a very firm position within the opening of the desk top; and which is so designed and constructed as to effectively seal the ink container against ingress of foreign substances and preserve the ink from evaporation.

A further object is to provide an inkwell structure that is comprised of few elements so formed and so interfitting as to facilitate assembly and maintain their assembled condition without the use of any fastening means other than the integral intcrfitting parts of the elements.

The foregoing, with other and more specific objects, will become apparent as this description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a plan View of my improved inkwell showing it set within the opening of a desk top; Fig. 2 is a section on the line .22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the inkwell removed from the desk top; Fig. 4c is a plan View, and Fig. 5 a side elevation, respectively, of the top plate; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the cover; Figs. 7 and 8 are, respectively, a plan view of the closure and a longitudinal section through the same; Fig. 9 shows the ink container in side elevation; and Fig. 10 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of the invention.

The top plate, designated 1, is constructed of sheet metal and comprises a circular body portion 2 that is embossed throughout its central portion, as shown at 3, to provide therebeneath a recess 4:. Prongs 5 depend from the edge of the body portion 2 and are shown as equally spaced apart thereabout. Although the prongs 5 are illustrated in Figs. land 5 as deflected outwardly immediately below the body portion 2 of the top plate, this step in their formation is left until after the prongs are inserted through openings 6 in a cover 7 which is adapted to lit up snugly beneath the top plate 1, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. The openings 6 have their outer sides of a width substantially equal to the width of the prongs 5 while they are reduced in width inwardly thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. vThe restricted ends of the openings are to accommodate the inwardly and upwardly turned ends 8 of the prongs as the prongs are passed through the openings.

A closure 10 occupies the recess 4. and is capable of a sliding movement-between the embossed portion 8 of the top plate and the adjacent portion of the cover 7. The closure 10 is formed with an extension 11 having a perforation l2, and to facilitate manipulation of the closure it is provided with an embossed knob 13.

To prevent corrosion, and to effect a satisfactory sealing of the container, the cover 7 and closure 10 are preferably made of fiber or similar material.

The ink container 15, shown in detail in Fig. 9, is preferably formed of glass, and arranged. about the outer side of its top are flanges 16 that correspond in number to the prongs 5 and are spaced apart at their ends a distance somewhat greater than the width of the inner ends 8 of said prongs. The flanges 16 terminate at one end in enlargements which constitute steps 17, while immediately adjacent said enlargements they are somewhat less in depth than elsewhere, resulting in shallow recesses 18 on their under sides.

The cover 7 is provided with an aperture 20 which, when the parts are assembled, registers with an opening 21 in the top plate 1, and the opening 21 has a lateral arcuate branch 22 which is substantially concentric with a depression 23 that is formed in an offset of the embossed portion 3 of the top plate. y

In assembling the structure the closure 10 is placed within the recess 4 with its knob 13 exposed through the opening 21, or through the lateral branch 22 thereof, while the depression 23 of the top plate occupies the aperture 12 in the extension 11 of the closure. The prongs 5 which, as will be recalled, have not yet been bent outwardly, are then projected through the openings 6 of the cover 7 and are thereafter deflected outwardly immediately beyond the cover so as to bind the cover and top plate together. The cover may now be applied to the container 15 by passing the inner upturned ends 8 of the prongs 5 through the spaces between the liang'es 16 after which the cover is rotated with respect to the container to bring said ends 8 within the recesses 18. When so assembled, the prongs 5 are slightly under tension and consequently bind the parts firmly together. By means of the knob 13, the closure 10 may be swung between open and closed positions upon the pivot provided bythe depression 23.

In accordance with the preferred method of installation, the desk top is provided with a circular opening 26 for the accommodation of the container 15, and this opening is counterbored at 27 to a diameter sul stantially equal to that of the cover 7 and to a depth approximately equal to the dis tance between the top plane of the cover '7 and the bottoms of the prongs 5. The inkwell structure is then placed within the opening with the prongs compressed between the wall of the counterbore 27 and the opposed portions of the container 15 and with the prongs resting upon the bottom wall of the counterbore. This arrangement has the advantage of binding the structure firinly within the desk top opening with the cover flush with the surface of the desk top.

In a more economical installation, such as shown in Fig. 10, the counterbore is dispensed with and an opening 28 is made through the desk top which is of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the counterbore 27 of the previous installa tion. In order to adapt the structure to an installation of this sort, the cover 7" is made somewhat greater in diameter than the corresponding part of the former construction so that it will overlie the desk top adjacent the opening 28 to form a support for the inkwell, while the prongs 5 maintain the same substantially centrally within the opening.

\Vhile I have described my invention exclusively in connection with inkwells, it will be understood that any receptacle, for any purpose whatsoever, comprised of elements combined and arranged as herein set forth falls within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a container, a cover therefor having openings, a top plate surmounting the cover and having parts extending through said openings and inter-engaging with parts of the container in such manner as to hold the top plate and container together with the cover confined between the two, the cover and top plate having registering openings, and a closure for said openings.

2. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a container, a cover therefor having openings, a member surmounting the cover and having parts extending through said openings and inter-engaging with parts of the container in such manner as to hold said member and the container together with the cover confined between the two, the cover having an opening, and a closure for said opening.

3. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a container, a cover therefor, a top plate surmounting the cover, the top plate having an embossed portion thereby to provide a recess between said portion and the cover, the embossed portion having a depression which constitutes a pivot stud, a closure movable within the recess and having an aperture occupied by said pivot stud, the cover and embossed portion of the top plate having registering o ienings, the closure having an actuating part accessible through the opening in. the ei'nbossed portion whereby the closure n'iay he moved to cover and uncover the opening in the cover, and means for securing the top plate, cover and container together.

t. A receptacle comprising, in combina tion, a container, a cover therefor, a top plate surmounting the cover, the top plate having an embossed portion thereby to provide a recess between said portion and the cover, tlu embossed portion having a depression which constitutes a pivot stud, a closure movable within the recess and having an aperture occupied by said pivot stud, the cover and embossed portion of the top plate having registering openings that are adapted to be closed by the closure, the opening in the embossed portion having a lateral branch sub stantially concentric with the pivot stud, the closure having an actuating part accessible through the last mentioned opening or its branch, and means for securing the top plate, cover and container together.

5. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a container provided at its upper end with abutment portions, a cover for the container having apertures, a top plate surmounting the cover and having prongs extending through said apertures and interlocking with the abutments of the container, the top plate and cover having registering openings, and a closure for said openings.

6. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a container having flanges at its top that are spaced apart circumferentially of the container, a cover for the container having openings, a top plate sin-mounting the cover and. having prongs extending through said opening and engaging with the undersides of said flanges for holding the top plate, cover and container together, said prongs bc ing arranged to pass through the spaces between the flanges when assembling the parts, the top plate and cover having registering openings, and a closure for said o enings.

7. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a container having flanges at its top that are spaced apart circumferenti ally of i v A.)

the container, a cover for the container having openings, a top plate surmounting the cover and having prongs extending through said openings and deflected therebeneath to hold the top plate and cover together, the prongs engaging with the undersides of the flanges to bind the cover and container together, said prongs being arranged to pass through the spaces between the flanges When applying the cover to the container, the container and cover having registered apertures, and a closure therefor.

8. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a container having flanges adjacent its top that are spaced apart circumferentially of the container, a cover for the container having openings, a top plate surmounting the cover and having prongs extending through said opening and deflected outwardly immediately below the cover to bind the top plate and cover together, the ends of the prongs being turned inwardly and upwardly for engagement with the undersides of the flanges of the container thereby to secure the cover and the container together, the end portions of the prongs being arranged to pass through the spaces between the flanges in applying the cover to the container, the top plate and cover having registering apertures, and a closure for said apertures.

9. A receptacle comprising, in combination, a container having flanges adjacent its upper end that are spaced apart circumferentially of the container, a cover for the container having openings, a top plate surmounting the cover and having prongs projecting through the openings of the cover and deflected therebelow to bind the top plate and cover together, the ends of said prongs engaging the undersides of the flanges to secure the cover to the container, the top plate having a part spaced from the cover to provide a recess, said part and the cover having registering apertures, and a closure movably retained Within said recess and adapted to close said apertures.

10. In combination with a desk top or the like having a counterbored opening, an inkwell comprising a container having flanges adjacent its top that are spaced apart circumferentially of the container, a cover for the container designed to lit within the counterbore of the opening and having openings adjacent its edge, a top plate surmounting the cover and having prongs extending through the openings of the cover and deflected outwardly therebeneath and thence inwardly and upwardly for engagement with the under sides of the flanges, the prongs being resilient and compressed between opposed portions of the counterbore and container and resting upon the bottom of the counterbore thereby to maintain the cover substantially flush with the upper surface of the desk top, the cover and top plate having registering apertures, and a closure for said apertures that is movably confined between opposed portions or the top plate and cover.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

WVILLIAM J. SOMERVILLE. 

